Days after normalcy returned in the Assam-Mizoram border, various organisations based in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district have threatened to impose an indefinite economic blockade on Nagaland starting from November 17 in protest against alleged illegal encroachment by people from neighbouring Nagaland.
The organizations had demanded for a tripartite talk between governments of Assam, Nagaland and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to deliberate and resolve the border issue.
“Lotha and Tangkhul tribal people of Nagaland, backed by their State administration, have been encroaching upon areas inside the Daldali Reserve Forest in Karbi Anglong. We will enforce the blockade and may go for more such measures if the two State governments do not meet to resolve the border issue,” said Simeon Rongphar, president of the Karbi Students’ Association, on Friday, The Telegraph newspaper reported.
The Nagaland government has allegedly issued land allotment certificates to the encroachers in Assam. There are similar reports from the Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest in Assam’s Jorhat district.
Jorhat district officials said Assam police personnel erected a temporary camp in the area on November 11 soon after their Nagaland counterparts erected a shed and refused to budge from their position. Efforts were on to pursue the Nagaland authorities to vacate the area and dismantle the structure, Assam officials said.
The Nagaland government has denied “illegal occupation” of land in Assam, claiming that its police personnel were keeping vigil within the State’s periphery.
At least 350 people have lost their lives on Assam’s periphery, mostly along the boundary with Nagaland since 1965. A majority of the victims have been from Assam.
- Various Sources